As is custom on Thanksgiving Day, giving thanks for all we have can be easy or hard depending on what's going on in our lives. If things are tough, it's often hard to give God our thanks; when things are going well, sometimes we forget to thank God too. We praise God first because he loved us and sent his only son to die for us on the cross (John 3:16),–everything else should be gravy.
Of course, it's never quite that simple. If you're like me and you need constant reminders to stop and be grateful and thank God for everything, you'll find this list handy.
Here are 15 excellent Bible verses on being thankful:
1) 1 Chronicles 16:34
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
2) 1 Chronicles 16:35
“Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.'”
3) Ezra 3:11
“With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.”
4) Psalm 7:17
“I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.”
5) Psalm 69:30
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”
6) Psalm 95:2
“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
7) Psalm 100:4
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
8) Jeremiah 30:19
“From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.”
9) 1 Corinthians 1:4
“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.”
10) 1 Corinthians 10:16
“Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?”
11) 2 Corinthians 4:15
“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
12) 2 Corinthians 9:11
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
13) Ephesians 5:4
“Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
14) Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
15) 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
May God in Christ Jesus constantly show you grace, mercy, and love as you go about your lives, thanking Him all along the way.
[All bible verses taken from the New International Version, courtesy of BibleGateway.com]
[…] Hawk Nelson released a song a few years ago called Thank God For Something and the bridge (which I can’t quote due to copyright issues) kept playing through my mind. With a heavy sigh that sounded much like that of a petulant child, I started thanking God for everything. Looking around myself, I realized how much I have to be thankful for. I have a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in that I don’t have to share, a closet full of clothes, and food to eat. I have a good car and a job to pay for it and the gas it needs, and I’m healthy enough to work. I have the right to worship God and attend church, and I live in a country where I can be whatever I want to be. I have my health, all my fingers and toes, and a loving church family. Thankful Verses […]